Can the House Pass a Budget Resolution This Week?
The House is back from recess, so both chambers of Congress are in session this week (although the House is out again on Friday).
With 18 days left to pass a budget before...more
Senate Passes Budget Resolution. Last week, the Senate and House Budget Committees each passed separate, and very different, budget resolutions as their first steps toward negotiating a unified budget resolution that must...more
After the Presidents Day long weekend, the House is out of session this week. The Senate is in session, with a continued focus on nominations and potential floor action on the budget resolution that the Senate Budget...more
2/19/2025
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Federal Funding ,
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RFK Jr. Confirmed as HHS Secretary. In a 52 – 48 Senate vote, Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. was confirmed as the next HHS secretary. All Democrats voted no, and Sen. McConnell (R-KY) was the only Republican to join them. He...more
2/14/2025
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Budget Reconciliation Process Begins -
The Senate Budget Committee will hold a two-day markup on its budget resolution, officially kickstarting the reconciliation process. The resolution includes directions for committee...more
Key Nominations Move Forward. The Senate Finance Committee advanced Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr.’s nomination to lead the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) in a 14 – 13 vote along party lines. The nomination now...more
2/10/2025
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Presidential Nominations ,
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Senate Confirmation Hearings ,
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U.S. House
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on Tuesday morning. All eyes are...more
2/4/2025
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Healthcare ,
Immigration Procedures ,
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U.S. House
Senate Finance, HELP Committees Hold RFK Jr. Nomination Hearings. RFK Jr., nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), testified before the Senate Finance Committee on January 29 and before the Senate Health,...more
1/31/2025
/ Abortion ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Veterans Affairs ,
Executive Orders ,
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Medicaid ,
Presidential Nominations ,
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Senate Finance Committee ,
Transgender ,
Transparency ,
Trump Administration
Republicans hold a trifecta of control after winning the White House, US Senate, and US House of Representatives for the 119th Congress. They will aim to pass an agenda backed by President Trump that is focused on tax cuts,...more
1/31/2025
/ Byrd Amendment ,
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ,
Energy Sector ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Immigration ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Reconciliation ,
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Tax Reform ,
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U.S. House
RFK Nomination Hearing Week -
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK), nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), has a busy week with two Senate nomination hearings. He will testify in front of the Senate Finance...more
1/28/2025
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Senate Committees Continue Nomination Hearings. The Senate VA Committee held a hearing for VA secretary nominee Doug Collins and subsequently voted for his confirmation with broad bipartisan support. His confirmation vote...more
1/27/2025
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Artificial Intelligence ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
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Medicaid ,
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Prescription Drugs ,
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World Health Organization
The Trump Administration and 119th Congress will likely be targeting trillions of dollars in savings in the year ahead. Healthcare makes up a significant portion of mandatory spending and therefore likely will be a large part...more
1/24/2025
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Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
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Medicare Payment Reform ,
MedPAC ,
Section 340B ,
Trump Administration
First Official Week of Trump 2.0 -
President Trump officially began his second term yesterday. He briefly discussed healthcare in his first inaugural speech, committing to tackle chronic disease and keep children safe,...more
1/22/2025
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Health Insurance ,
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Veterans
House Committees Organize, Senate Committees Begin Nomination Hearings. House healthcare committees held organizing meetings and announced subcommittee assignments, while Senate committees held nomination hearings for...more
During the Biden Administration’s final week, congressional Republicans are moving full steam ahead with Senate confirmation hearings for Trump-nominated officials and with ongoing budget reconciliation discussions....more
119th Congress Begins. The new Congress began with key membership announcements for relevant healthcare committees. Cures 2.1 White Paper Published. The document outlines the 21st Century Cures 2.1 legislative proposal,...more
A lot has happened in the last three weeks, so here’s a high-level recap:
Congress successfully, albeit rockily, passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government through March 14, 2025. That legislation...more
1/7/2025
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Medicare ,
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U.S. House
118th Congress Continues to Grapple with Contentious CR. With the collapse of Republican support for the negotiated continuing resolution (CR) package, as of the time of publication on Friday at 3:00 PM EST, Congress is still...more
12/23/2024
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
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Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
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U.S. House
118th Congress Wraps Up -
Congress has five days to complete remaining business before the December 20 government funding deadline. It is still expected that the government will be funded via a short-term continuing...more
Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on People with Disabilities. Senators and witnesses acknowledged the significant barriers that exist for Americans with disabilities and discussed current and proposed federal...more
12/16/2024
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Disabilities ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
GAO ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) ,
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Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) ,
MedPAC ,
NDAA ,
OIG ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Senate Committees ,
U.S. House ,
Veterans' Benefits
11 Days Left in Lame Duck -
Both houses of Congress are in this week as we approach December 20, the deadline by which Congress must pass a continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government moving...more
12/10/2024
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U.S. House
Congress Negotiates Healthcare Extenders, Continues to Plan for 2025. Lawmakers continue negotiations to wrap up the 118th Congress and pass remaining must-do policies, including government funding, likely through a...more
12/9/2024
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Committees ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Machine Learning ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Section 340B ,
Technology ,
U.S. House
Watchful Waiting: Three Weeks Left in Lame Duck -
Congress returns on Tuesday to begin the remaining three weeks of the lame duck session. Lawmakers have a packed agenda, and they have 18 days to pass a bill funding the...more
12/3/2024
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Deadlines ,
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Disaster Aid ,
Farm Bill ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
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Lame Duck Session ,
Medicare ,
NDAA ,
Telehealth
Congress Begins Disaster Relief Efforts, Continues Organizing for 119th Congress. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, lawmakers are focused on funding an emergency supplemental disaster relief package. President...more
11/25/2024
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DEA ,
Health Care Providers ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
Lame Duck Session ,
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Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Telehealth ,
Telemedicine ,
Trump Administration
The incoming Trump Administration made several decisions and announcements in the first week of the lame duck session, including announcing his nominee for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)....more
11/19/2024
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Lame Duck Session ,
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